Antônio Carlos Jobim - Wave (1967)

Bossa nova is probably one of my favorite styles that has origins outside of the continental United States. Bossa nova really came into its own in the early 1960s when jazz artists such as Stan Getz and Charlie Bird started to do collaborations among themselves and Brazilian musicians. It is a significant style in that up to that time the primary source of jazz standards was the Great American Songbook or musicals. With a whole new source of music bossa nova gained popularity relatively quickly. The bossa nova styke is normally accredited to João Gilberto and Jobim and Gilberto's "Bim Bom" is largely considered the first bossa nova tune. The arrangements on this particular album were all done by Claus Ogerman and mostly feature full orchestra. This is interesting because one can hear how Jobim's music is applied to a larger instrumentation which is atypical to bossa nova. Jobim was different from many Brazilian composers in that he includes jazz instruments. The guitar has always been the medium of Brazilian composers, yet Jobim wrote for a larger array of instruments. What is great about Jobim as a composer is that in addition to writing, he also played guitar and piano. In fact, on this very recording he is the pianist. Some famous tracks on this album are "Wave" and "Triste." A personal favorite of mine is the track "Look to the Sky," which perfectly displays the wonderful tone of trombonist Urbie Green.